Rant #2011: Bits and Pieces

Yes, this is the second "Bits and Pieces" rant this week, but that is how it goes sometimes.

Lots of stuff to talk about, just nothing that I would devote an entire column to.

So here goes.

Fats Domino Passes: Legendary New Orleans rock and roller Antoine "Fats" Domino died earlier this week. He was 89 years old.

Domino was one of the most popular rockers during the early days of the genre, and had numerous hits that showcased his New Orleans style music that included bits of gospel, rock, rhythm and blues, cajun, and jazz, among other genres.

When you choose the seminal sounds of rock and roll, you almost have to have on your Top 10 list songs like "Blueberry Hill," "I'm Walkin'" and "Ain't That a Shame," and Domino's signature piano playing is on all of them.

He was so engrained in the culture of New Orleans that even after he became a wealthy man due to the success of his recordings--and the successful cover versions of his tunes recorded by many others--he remained in his hometown until the end.

In fact, when Hurricane Katrina hit, he was among the missing for a while, but he eventually was found. He lost just about everything in his mansion, all his gold records and other memorabilia.

But as one of the first entrants into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--and one choice that no one could argue about--Domino left behind a treasure trove of music that will last the ages.

Robert Guillaume Passes: Broadway, TV and movie actor Robert Guillaume also died this week, also at 89 years of age, and although he did many other roles as an actor, who could argue that his Benson was one of the greatest characters ever created for a TV series?

Guillaume was pretty much a Broadway actor when he read the original script for "Soap," ABC's sendup of soap operas, and he decided right then and there that he had to do the role of Benson, the butler who really and truly was the only voice of reason on that show.

Although the role could have been a subservient one, Guillaume and the writers took it one step further, making Benson not only the smartest character on that show, but also its most popular.

He took the character to his own show, "Benson," but even Guillaume later admitted that his second portrayal of the character was never as good as the first on "Soap," simply because he didn't have as much freedom on the second show to be as blunt as he had on the first show.

Whatever the case, both shows were incredibly popular, and Guillaume established himself on those shows as one of TV's most popular personalities.

Play Ball ... In 100 Degree Heat: The World Series is known as the "October Classic," but not only does it often stretch into November due to scheduling and the length of the series, but this year, it might as well be held in the middle of July in the tropics.

In what has forced many meteorologists to scurry around looking for temperature records, the 2017 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros might go down as the warmest in history.

During game one, the temperature was over 100 degrees, and with Los Angeles going through a fall heat wave, it was doubtful that the temperature would go any lower.

And yes, there was some relief coming ... Houston has "only" been hit by 90 degree temperatures, and it really doesn't matter, because with Minute Maid Field's retractable roof, it is always 68 degrees indoors.

Kellogg's Pulls "Insensitive" Corn Pops Illustration: In what has to do down as probably the most idiotic story of the year, the PC Police appear to be at it again, as Kellogg's has pulled boxes of its popular Corn Pops cereal because it was brought to their attention that the cartoon on the back of the box was "insensitive."

On the back of the cereal's box is a cartoon depicting various forms of Corn Pops doing various jobs, having fun, and just living life to the fullest. However, a "darker" yellow Corn Pop is shown doing what could be construed as "janitorial" work, and that got the dander up of one cereal buyer--who happens to be a comic book writer on Marvel's "Black Bolt" title--who contacted Kellogg's about the "insensitivity" of the cartoon, saying that since it was the only darker Corn Pop on the box, it was teaching children racial insensitivity.

The box with the cartoon was pulled. Kellogg's released a statement saying that they were all for diversity, and was sorry for not having monitored the situation.

This is all so scary, that a major corporation has to apologize for a cartoon character being construed as being subservient because of the coloring used to portray that character.

Next, are we going to see the PC Police go after Daffy Duck because he is all black? How about Cocoa Puffs itself, because it is a "black"-colored cereal?

Using this incident as a clear example, we, as a society, must rid ourselves of this PC nonsense, so we can all think with a clear head again.

Joe Girardi Out as Yankees' Manager: In one of the shockers of post-season baseball, when the focus should be on the aforementioned World Series, instead we are getting bombshell after bombshell about successful managers losing their jobs.

First it was the Red Sox firing John Farrell; next, it is the Yankees and Joe Girardi agreeing to part ways.

I still can't figure out if this is akin to a firing--Girardi's contract was up for renewal, so he wasn't technically "fired"--or if it was a bit so something else, maybe like the almighty dollar, but Girardi managed the team for 10 years, brought them to the World Series in 2009, won that Series, and the Yankees never had a losing season under his direction.

In fact, the Yankees came within one game of the promised land this year, and promise to be one of the most exciting teams to watch next season and for several seasons.

With their core of young talent, this parting of ways reminds me of when Buck Showalter also had a similar break from the Yankees in 1995, right before the team had their "Core Four" dynasty.

With a current Core Four in place--Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, Greg Bird and Aaron Judge--the Yankees are right on the cusp, but they evidently will have to do it without Girardi.

Who will succeed him? I am sure there are a lot of people who would give their right arm to manage this team right now, so we will just have to wait and see.

That is it for now. Have a good weekend, and I will speak to you again on Monday.